Different Paths
by spartiechic
Summary: What would you do if you had the chance to relive a moment in your life? Jareth and Sarah explore the possibilities in this one-shot response to Jareth-GK's writing challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: ** This story has been burning my brain for a few months, desperately wanting to be written. It took the King's challenge to push it from my imagination to the page. Enjoy!

Jareth-GK challenge: _It's summer - rain, honeysuckle, a whispered secret, a life-size crystal unicorn...and a riding crop. A romantic interlude between the Goblin King and his lady love Sarah._

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><p>In a swirl of glitter, the man in black stood proud and imposing in the dark room. His blond hair was swept up in an unknown wind, coming down to rest upon his shoulders. A giggle startled her, forcing her to whip around to find its source. Turning back to the handsome man, she struggled to find her voice. He tilted his head, amused by her reaction to his otherworldly beauty. His eyes raked over her body, taking in the strange clothing hiding her figure. Sarah shivered despite the heat of the summer night pouring in through the open window.<p>

"You're him aren't you?" she managed, after the uncomfortable silence. "You're the Goblin King. I want my brother back, please, if it's all the same."

With an amused smirk, he crossed his arms over his chest and intoned, "What's said is said."

"But, I didn't mean it," she denied. Couldn't this man see that she had only said the words in anger? She loved her baby brother, though she probably wouldn't have admitted that fact to herself even an hour ago.

"Oh, you didn't?" he asked with a condescending tone. His eyebrows shot up into the mess of blond tendrils hanging into his face.

Trying hard to stay brave, Sarah kept a strong stance before the King. It was hard not to lose herself in the power he was exuding. She asked politely, "Please, where is he?"

"You know very well where he is," he reminded her. Tugging on his gloves, the Goblin King grew bored of the conversation.

"Please bring him back," she begged, taking a step forward. Her nose caught a whiff of the overwhelming fragrance of ozone and masculinity. She struggled against the desires he was awakening within her. "Please."

"Sarah, go back to your room," he ordered. He stepped closer, fully aware of how his very presence was affecting her. "Play with your toys and your costumes. Forget about the baby."

She paused, trying desperately to fight against her own body's urges. She sighed, "I can't."

"I've brought you a gift," he said. On the tips of his fingers appeared a shining globe.

"What is it?" she asked, intrigued.

"It's a crystal, nothing more," he explained. The orb moved gracefully down his hand, dancing from arm to arm. Sarah's pupils dilated as she became mesmerized by the hypnotic routine. "But, if you turn it this way and look into it, it will show your dreams. But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of a screaming baby. Do you want it?" Her mind fought against it, but her heart reached out to take it. He pulled it back from her to issue his demand. "Then forget the baby."

"What about my brother?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him to give her her dreams.

"He will become one of us, forever," he said, watching her slow acceptance of this cruel future.

"Will he become a Goblin?" she asked. Her eyes continued to remain fixed on the tempting sphere resting on the tips of his fingers.

"Of course not," he argued. "Where ever would you have heard such rubbish?"

"The book," Sarah replied.

"Not everything is as it seems," the Goblin King warned.

Once more, he held out the crystal for her to take. Stifling a triumphant grin, he watched as she placed her small hand over it. Her fingers explored the smooth surface as she looked into his mismatched eyes for the first time. The longing she saw in them frightened her. The room fell into an eerie silence. Shards of light from the full moon darted around, throwing them into strange shadows. With one final breath, she took the globe into her hands and looked at the images held within. Her gasp shattered the tense silence.

"Surprised, little Sarah?" he wondered aloud. She looked at him; her tongue darted out to lick lips which had suddenly turned drier than the Sahara.

"What is this?" she breathed.

"Your dreams, precious thing," he reminded her.

"But…but…you're in them," she stammered incredulously.

The Goblin King's smirk grew as he said simply, "I know."

"What? Why?" she asked, confused.

"You don't think I make this offer to everyone, do you?" he asked. "I told you, you are no ordinary girl."

"No," Sarah moaned.

"Sarah, don't defy me," he cautioned, summoning his riding crop and cracking it against his thigh. "Your will is no match for mine."

She winced but held her ground, arguing, "My will is as strong and my kingdom as great."

"We shall see about that, little girl," he laughed, pulling her flush against his body.

Instinctually, her hands rose to his chest. The pads of her fingers slid across the hard plane of his armor. He threw the crop aside, allowing it to remain close, should he need it again. Before she could react, he wrapped her tightly into his embrace. He bent his head and began to kiss her in a way she'd never been kissed before. His mouth felt hot and moist against her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as she began to return the unfamiliar kiss with an ardent passion. Forcing his tongue within her sweet mouth, he tasted her heady flavor of honey-dipped strawberries. It spurred him to pick her up into his strong arms.

Carrying her to the lone bed within the room, he gently placed her in the center. His hand flew to remove his heavy cape from his neck. Sarah's innocent jade eyes watched his every move, unable to bring herself to halt the direction of their endeavors. When his armor and gloves joined his cape, he joined her on the bed. He straddled her legs, keeping her from escaping his grasp. Dipping down, he captured her lips in a sensual kiss. This time, she needed no coaxing to open up to him. He pulled away after a few moments, gasping for air.

The Goblin King looked at his prize, lying in the bed lost in the sensations rushing through her body. He became inflamed by the need growing within him. With a passion unlike any he had ever experienced, he began to tear her clothing from her young, nubile body. Her vest went flying through the air, landing close to the discarded riding crop. A popping sound invaded the silence as the buttons were torn from her shirt. His hand came up to part her oversized poet's shirt, exposing her soft, milky skin. Groaning deeply, he took in the sight of her breasts bared before him. The twin beauties stood at attention, waiting for his touch.

Unable to resist any longer, he kissed the valley between her breasts. He inhaled deeply, savoring the aroma of lilacs and honeysuckle imbedded in her skin. Like her scent, Sarah was both a mixture of innocence and sensuality. Her budding desires were evident as she entwined her fingers in his feather-soft hair, holding him to her. His lips wandered over the smooth skin of her breast, finally coming to rest over a pink-tinged nipple. Opening his mouth, he took it inside.

"Goblin King," she moaned.

"Call me Jareth," he purred.

"Jareth!" she cried as he suckled her.

Sitting up, he began the process of removing his own shirt. Taking advantage of his momentary lapse in concentration, she wrapped her legs around his torso and flipped him on his back. Wisps of her long hair hung in his face, tickling his cheeks and filling him with her scent. He was content to watch as she followed his lead and ripped his own shirt from his pale chest. She began to lavish his iridescent skin with gentle, open mouthed kisses. It was getting harder for him to contain his desire for this exquisite creature.

Not a patient man by any stretch of the imagination, he sat up and tore the shirt from his arms. Unable to resist her any longer, he pulled her into his embrace. Sarah remained seated in his lap, holding on tight as his teeth worried a sensitive spot on her neck. After licking it soothingly, he pulled back to admire his work. She would bear his mark for all to see tomorrow. Her hands wandered to the waistband of his breeches, desperate to find the secret to their removal. Taking pity on her, he pulled the hidden string causing them to loosen and fall slightly down his hips. His fingers then went to attack the button on her own denim trousers.

Sarah wiggled backwards until her backside hit the bed. Swinging her legs over the side, she kicked her shoes off and stood to push her jeans down her long, shapely legs. Jareth, still seated on the bed, kicked off his own boots. Lifting his hips, he deftly removed his last remaining article of clothing. His hands shot out from the bed and attached themselves to her waist, pulling her back to join him. Frowning, he realized that there was one last barrier to the place of his desire. Waiting no longer, he slid her panties down her body and threw them to the floor. Completely bare before him, Sarah blushed a beautiful crimson.

"Lovely," he breathed.

Covering her body with his, he pulled her into another soul-baring kiss. As she relaxed into his touch, he took the moment to finally join with her. Her moan was swallowed by his mouth. Slowly, their bodies entwined in an age-old dance. Tongues tasted while fingers caressed, each wanting to experience the other in totality. Moisture glistened on their skin, reflecting the light pouring in from the moon. A burning heat connected the two lovers, driving them forward towards their mutual goal. Pleasure spiraled upwards and out. In a blinding flash, they both fell over the edge of bliss. The silence of the summer night was broken by the call of the other's name from their lips.

Jareth gazed down at his beautiful wife upon the rumpled sheets, looking up at him with sated happiness. He finally collapsed next to her and pulled her to his bare, sweat glistening chest. The illusion of her childhood home quickly vanishing into the mists, revealing reality once again. Instead of an ordinary Mortal home, the couple found themselves in their bedroom back at the castle. The normal sounds of home reminding them of their return to the Goblin Kingdom. The sound of crystal shattering alerted the Royal Couple to the demise of the life-sized unicorn Jareth had created for their son's last birthday. Neither of them could muster enough energy to care. They'd deal with it later.

Through their window, the scent of rain embraced the resting couple in the king-sized bed. It was a welcome smell as it meant the end to the summer's drought. As the first drops hit the ground, Sarah turned to face her sleepy husband. His eyes were barely open as he began to succumb to sleep, exhausted, once more, from having to live up to her expectations.

"Next time, I get to play Goblin King," she commanded, cuddling close enough to hear his heartbeat and bask in the unique scent wafting from his heated skin.

"Anything you say, my Queen," murmured Jareth as he finally yielded to sleep's call.

"Sleep well, my King," Sarah cooed.

Another successful year of marriage had passed and a new one was beginning. Still, Sarah fought against the pull of sleep. She had something important to say, but, again, she had gotten distracted from revealing her secret. She'd have to tell him soon. There wasn't much chance of hiding this from him any longer. With a sigh, she looked up at his face, serene as he slept. Would he be ready for this again?

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, wishing he could hear her. Closing her eyes, she allowed the sound of rain outside to lull her into slumber. There was always tomorrow. In any case, they had forever…not long at all.

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><p>Don't forget to leave a contribution in the little box...thanks!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

I wanted to take a moment to thank my awesome reviewers, the readers that have favorited this story, and the people that have PMd me about this one-shot. I didn't think it'd get the response that it did. I've had a few people asking for a second chapter or a one-shot with Jareth's response to Sarah's whispered secret. I've put a poll on my profile for those of you who would like to vote. You can also review and let me know what you think…hint hint.

Spartie


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